The Commission for University Education has revoked the recognition of Nairobi Senator, Johnson Sakaja’s Ugandan degree.
CUE revoked the recognition of Sakaja's degree from Team University following protracted battles on its authenticity.
The Commission stated on Wednesday, June 15, that it had received information on the authenticity of the degree certificate.
"The Commission for University Education has received material information about the authenticity of the degree you presented from Team University that will require further investigation to ascertain the validity of the said the degree," read the Commission's letter to Sakaja.
"Consequently, in accordance with the CUE's recognition procedures, we hereby revoke the recognition of your degree - Bachelor of Science in Management (External) from the aforementioned university."
The revocation comes barely a day after a lobby group wrote to the Ugandan Minister for Education, Janet Museveni, to compel Team University to produce Sakaja’s admission letter, details of payment of school fees, and evidence that he attended classes.
The NGO further requested the Ugandan First Lady to ask the University to explain why Sakaja's name was allegedly omitted from the list of graduands who were awarded a Bachelor's degree in Management on October 21, 2016.
“Our client is certain that your office will treat this matter with the importance and the urgency that it requires to safeguard the image of Uganda as a country that has traditionally offered education to many students in the East African Community," the letter read.
Sakaja's degree saga has elicited a debate on whether the IEBC needs to do a more stellar job in verifying academic certificates presented by candidates.
While defending Sakaja, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party Secretary General, Veronica Maina, stated that Sakaja presented his academic papers to the party before being cleared and they did not doubt the authenticity of the same.
Maina hinted that Sakaja was being targeted as she claimed that Azimio's presidential candidate, Raila Odinga's academic papers’ also raise questions about their legitimacy. She urged the IEBC to re-examine them.
“Questions have also been asked about the credibility of presidential candidates’ qualifications. You have seen a lot of headlines questioning the university that our biggest opponent, Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, qualified from,” Maina opined.
“It is a very big question which needs to be looked at, not through the lens of just one candidate, but a wider public question."
She also added that Roots Party presidential candidate, George Luchiri Wajackoya’s purported 17 degrees should also be double-checked to verify if they are legitimate.
